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Bullets suitable for 7x33 Sako?
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I'm in need of some short 7mm bullets suitable for a 7x33 Sako. If you're not familiar with this rare round, its factory ammunition uses a 78 grain FMJ or SP round nose. Something in a round nose up to 100 grains might work, but none of the factory bullets available for reloading are short enough. Hornady makes a 100 grain HP, however its hollow nose and spitzer shape make it much too long for the little Sako magazine.

If anyone has the capacity to either cast lead bullets, or swage jacketed bullets of this size and approximate weight, I'd be interested in buying some.

Alternatively, if someone has an easy and precise method of turning the noses off of a Hornady 100 gr. HP to both shorten and lighten them, that would also be of great help to me.

THANKS!
 
Posts: 13214 | Location: Henly, TX, USA | Registered: 04 April 2001Reply With Quote
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Quick and dirty would be to drill a 224 hole in the hollow point.
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Load the round.
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Put it on a case trimmer and turn to length.
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My lathe is in storage now or I would turn down some for you.
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Maybe a dumb idea but it has been a long day.
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I was just reading about that round tonight.
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What action is it in? Sako 42 or 46?
 
Posts: 433 | Location: South Central PA | Registered: 11 November 2010Reply With Quote
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It's an L46 made in 1946 with a walnut Mannlicher stock and a 23.5" barrel. The rear sight was missing when I got it, so I have a near-period Weaver K-3 mounted on it.

There may be a small population of L42's somewhere on this side of the Atlantic, but it will be too small in number to successfully breed Big Grin.

That's an intriguing idea to use a loaded round as the holder for the bullet while turning it down with a case trimmer. I'll give it a try. Unfortunately, I just this minute read on another thread that Hornady is discontinuing their 100 gr. 7mm HP!
 
Posts: 13214 | Location: Henly, TX, USA | Registered: 04 April 2001Reply With Quote
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Posts: 6361 | Location: NY, NY | Registered: 28 November 2005Reply With Quote
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would a 120 boattail with the bt cut off still be too long?
 
Posts: 6361 | Location: NY, NY | Registered: 28 November 2005Reply With Quote
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Thanks for the suggestions on the 7mm Nambu bullets (talk about a wierd caliber!) I'm under the impression that the Nambu uses a slightly larger bullet, something like .288" or so. Also, the 60 grain weight is somewhat less than I'd like to have (athough I would certainly try it if available). I suppose I could acquire all the paraphrenalia to cast, size, lube, and gas check some bullets, but I really don't want to go there for just this one application.

Insofar as the 120 gr. B.T., are you speaking of a jacketed bullet, and if so, how would one go about cutting the boat tail off?

Following 257x50's suggestion, I tried chucking a 7x33 case (same head diameter as a 9mm Luger) in my Forster case trimmer, but found that the regular No. 1 collet won't accomodate it. So I went to the Forster website to see which of their EIGHT collets is for the 9mm Luger, and guess what? THEY DON'T MAKE ONE! Foiled again.
 
Posts: 13214 | Location: Henly, TX, USA | Registered: 04 April 2001Reply With Quote
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Got someone comming to sci? I gve them a 100 proper bullets. do you sp or the typical FMJ? I have both. The easiest source in Africa is 7,62 tokarev and swage down. If you get the lead cored bullets it isn't hard, can be done on a RCBS press.

the secret is to get a long die...the bullet must run for at least 21mm through the parallel part of the die. from bitter experience I know that using a shorter die makes life easier but the long throw on my RCBS mag press means I can push that bulet up through a die 2" long. First inch accepts the 7.62 bullet and then squezes it down to 7mm and the last inch is just a straight die....give the lead and copper time to settle down. Bullets for the .30 luger or 7,63 mauser work well and that is where my soft points come from
 
Posts: 3026 | Location: Zimbabwe | Registered: 23 July 2003Reply With Quote
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RCBS Bullet puller as a collet/vise and a long endmill in a drill press. Put the puller in a vise upsidedown.


quote:
Insofar as the 120 gr. B.T., are you speaking of a jacketed bullet, and if so, how would one go about cutting the boat tail off?

 
Posts: 6361 | Location: NY, NY | Registered: 28 November 2005Reply With Quote
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How about getting a 7mm, 130 gr bullet mold from lee:

http://www.midsouthshooterssup...m.asp?sku=0000690360



cast some bullets with it, then figure out how much you should shorten them.

Then just mill off that much from the mold, redrill and tap the hole for the sprue plate bolt, and you have all the bullets you need.


for every hour in front of the computer you should have 3 hours outside
 
Posts: 7756 | Location: Between 2 rivers, Middle USA | Registered: 19 August 2000Reply With Quote
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P.S. Post up a picture of your rifle!


for every hour in front of the computer you should have 3 hours outside
 
Posts: 7756 | Location: Between 2 rivers, Middle USA | Registered: 19 August 2000Reply With Quote
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Ganyana: I've wondered about the practicality of swaging down .30 bullets. I've had dire warnings against trying to take a jacketed bullet down by more than a few one-thousandths, but it sounds like your experience using the extra long, gradual squeeze largely solves the problems so associated.

How did you come by your die? Make it yourself? And what do you use for the punch (I'm assuming a flat-topped hardened rod just about .01" smaller than finished bullet diameter?)

Thanks tremendously for the offer regarding the SCI convention, but commitments have me tied down pretty tightly and even though it is only a three hour drive away I won't be able to get away for it. BTW: I greatly enjoy your articles in Rifle/Handloader.

Richj: Thanks for the suggestion of using the RCBS bullet puller as a collet. That method might very well let me machine some too-long bullets down to size.

Mark: I've had a turn at bullet casting years ago and, while rewarding, I'm "too far along" to be willing to tool up with melting pots, mold handles, sizers, lubes, etc. However, I will be glad to post a photo of my little 7x33 when I get a chance.
 
Posts: 13214 | Location: Henly, TX, USA | Registered: 04 April 2001Reply With Quote
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Stonecreek,

I reload 12 gauge deer slugs and to spare a long story I don't feel like typing out I shorten my slugs by fitting them on a collet and sanding them down on a 1X30 belt sander. They get close enough doing it that way but I then weighed them and just tapped the end to the sander to get my weight close to less than 1/10 grain. I suspect you could drill a block to contact the bullets on the ogive somewhere so the required amount would protrude then just clamp the block on the sander and press each bullet through the hole so each presses against the belt the same distance.


for every hour in front of the computer you should have 3 hours outside
 
Posts: 7756 | Location: Between 2 rivers, Middle USA | Registered: 19 August 2000Reply With Quote
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Stonecreek

been swaging down 30 cal bullts for my 7x57 since I was 16 and making bullets for my dads 8mm Mauser from .338 not long after.

the rule of thumb given to be by the top guy at somchem was the bullet should travel 4x the cal through the straight part of the die...ie a 7mm should run 29mm (bullets are actually 7,2mm) after being squeezed down.

In practice I have found that I could get acceptable accuracy with less follow though but you should aim for at least 1"

I did the drawings in my Tech Drawing class at school, wandered round to the local machine shop that afternoon, tried it the next day and then had it nitrided...been in use for roughly 30 years.

My rifle is a re-barreled M1 carbine. My brother wanted more punch than the .30 could give but needed rounds to still fit the mag and the action...dream little gun - he went to a world of effort to make it Wink
 
Posts: 3026 | Location: Zimbabwe | Registered: 23 July 2003Reply With Quote
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I recommed you ask some local sako dealer if they can ask original FMJ and SP bullets from sako. I know they havent make those no little time but here in Finland i had heard some rumour that Sako will make those bullets soon again.
One reason mek those bullets is beacuse here in Finland we have quite lot those old Sako model L42 and L46 by that caliber. Many of those gun have only lot of memory value and people want just enjoy and shoot by those. And i Believe that if Sako make those bullets now it will be mainly FMJ bullets. But all this will be just my quest.


Stalins 2 biggest nightmare -If chinese learn fight like Finnish or Finnish start makes baby like Chinese...

 
Posts: 73 | Location: Finland | Registered: 12 March 2007Reply With Quote
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Ukko: Thanks for that interesting update. Is the rumor that Sako will make just the finished ammunition, or will also make brass and bullets available? Either way, if you hear that it is actually happening we would all appreciate your posting it here on AR.

If you have an interest in discussing Sakos I suggest you visit the Sako Collector's Club website at www.sakocollectors.lefora.com/

By the way, I love your "Stalin's nightmare" quote.
 
Posts: 13214 | Location: Henly, TX, USA | Registered: 04 April 2001Reply With Quote
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For some things I guess I was just born too late. I was thumbing through a reloading catalog from 1965 and found that Remington used to make a 100 grain 7mm Bronze Point. I'll bet it would be relatively easy to remove the tip of that bullet and end up with a blunt-nosed 85 grainer that would work beautifully in a 7x33.
 
Posts: 13214 | Location: Henly, TX, USA | Registered: 04 April 2001Reply With Quote
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It should be easy to take some 308 312 pistol bullets run them through a lee 7mm die and make what you need. I run 300gr 429 bullets through a 416 lee die to make cheap 416 rifle bullets in one pass 80 gir 312 bullet through a 308 die then your 284 die should be easy to die.

If you need a die in between just polish a 284 die with very fine emery paper untill you get the dia needed.
 
Posts: 19313 | Location: wis | Registered: 21 April 2001Reply With Quote
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If you go to the Mountain Moulds website, you can design a bullet of about 95 gr that might be just what you want. A nose of about 1/4" and a BTAN might work well.


DRSS
Beretta 45-70 belgian mag
Tikka 512S 9.3 x 74R
Baikal o/u 30-06
Looking for next one
 
Posts: 290 | Location: Western Colorado | Registered: 18 February 2007Reply With Quote
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